Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

Missile

In a modern military, a missile is a self-propelled guided weapon system, as opposed to a unguided self-propelled munition, referred to as just a rocket . Missiles have four system components: targeting and/or guidance, flight system, engine, and warhead. Missiles come in types adapted for different purposes: surface-to-surface and air-to-surface missiles, surface-to-air missiles, air-to-air missiles, and anti-satellite missiles. All known existing missiles are designed to be propelled during powered flight by chemical reactions inside a rocket engine, jet engine, or other type of engine. Non-self-propelled airborne explosive devices are generally referred to as shells and usually have a shorter range than missiles.
An ordinary English-language usage predating guided weapons is simply any thrown object, such as items thrown at players by rowdy spectators at a sporting event.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

Missile

mis′il, adj. that may be thrown from the hand or from any instrument.—n. a weapon thrown by the hand. [L. missilis—mittĕre, missum, to throw.]